"Non-speculative business models are those who will survive"

A business model based on the development of infrastructure, designed for the long term, not speculative and committed to the territory where implants, ultimately, a machine to generate value for the society. The mold was made. Naturally joined the business of the management of logistics services in the areas adjacent to the motorway network. The group, partner of the Administration in many of his projects, also has interests in telecommunications, airports and parking. And growing are immune? to the crisis To this and other questions is the Director of operations and business of Abertis logistics, whose network of parks already extends to the South American continent. Rausch radiates enthusiasm and sympathy, and in addition, skillfully combines a delicate art: support the client in hard times and meet the accionista… Don't miss out on their reflections.

Indeed, before join to Abertis logistics I worked in the promotion of the Zal of the port of Barcelona. At the time, in the early 1990s, it was a really innovative in Spain project and, indeed, also at European level. Before the design of the Zal was a prospective travel to different countries to analyse the logistical operation of its ports, see other sites to understand how it could be a logistical centre, what benefits should be, etc. We visited the ports of Holland and Belgium, among others, and do not find a model with a single managing body. Although there are who maintains that the port of Antwerp is a Zal, then, indeed, there are many logistical activity, the truth is that such activity is managed in a very individual way, without any management body.

The closest thing we find a logistics park were the 'distriparks', in Rotterdam, huge areas of more than 500 hectares but with an approach based exclusively on the granting of parcels, without any offer of services. The demand was so strong that the offer was limited to provide soil, not even offered investment in store. This model in Spain would have not worked; Here we had no one demanded as active and had to work a little bit more..., offer additional values, in this case, related to port activity. With the desire of Port of Barcelona go a step further and integrate more links in the logistics chain, not only be the point where they come and go the boats, decision-making is this idea to offer value-added services and provide a space where the merchandise be logistically prepared. Thus was born the first Zal. The concept is a success, even the name adopted as generic, and from there begins to be more developments of this kind.

"Our aim is to be recognized in the Iberian Peninsula as a reference in infrastructures at the service of the logistics operator"

Our entry into this business came to pass in a way, say, natural, by being the company that holds the main highways in Catalonia; We began to work in activities of associated motorways service areas. The first site was the Cim Vallès. Given the good relationship between the group with public administrations, enters to manage the service of this downtown area.

The next step give it to the Zona Franca Consortium, where Abertis decided to participate in the development of a logistics pole which is the third major development of Barcelona, after the Zal and Cim Vallés.

The company will gradually entering the business, knowing it from its territory and its usual scope, seeking the collaboration of local partners; with naturalidad… The third step is to enter the Zal as a shareholder of reference with the port of Barcelona. Ultimately, it was a business infrastructure and fit perfectly with the profile of the group.

Yes, we believe that the best result in the management of logistics parks is derived from the effective joint action by both actors. This collaboration is what allows to develop a comprehensive, rational and effective network of logistics parks.

What has happened in recent years is that they have entered many private, first specialized developers and now increasingly more generalist, including investment funds have made his foray into the sector. Many of these players do not see this activity as an infrastructure business but as a real estate business, with all that this implies: a very short term vision the, much less committed to the territory, much more speculative. An overview of the business that we do not envisage.

Above all of one thing: create value. When you you approach a non speculative business, in order to rationalize an activity and thinking long term infrastructure, which seek to sum up, is to create value for society. The real estate agent that builds for a gain in the short term, does not create value, we try to generate an economic activity to the rededor of infrastructures.

Here the ground is key; the closer of the nuclei of consumption and the points of rupture of cargo, scarce is the soil, thereby logistics projects come highly conditioned by the urban development of cities. In addition, not all soils allow to develop logistics applications, some go for industrial use The urban setting determines many times the type of product that you can deploy.

Yes, the business strategy of Abertis logistics relies on the formation of a network of logistics parks located strategically. As a basic concept, we like areas prime, we like to be close to the natural points of rupture of the logistics chain. In these times of difficulty is confirming that sites that hold better those who are closer to the consumption centers. At the time in which there is high demand projects are going away from privileged zones. Currently there are developments in second and third Crown that what are going really wrong, because reach is more expensive, is must assume the costs of transport and maneuver, which is compounded by the absence of other synergies...

The Abertis brand defines you many things you can do in each of the business. For Abertis group we need to develop a high quality product. We cannot do any kind of logistics ship. We must meet a series of regulations that determine the type of product and the management model, and this model is applicable to a particular type of location: prime areas.

"Our offer is solid and in line with what they require these new times"

We are awaiting the final permission to start work on ships and in 2010 we will have the ready supply. We have recently formed a team in Chile which is already underway. It is a country much less mature than Spain from the logistical point of view. There is no a range comparable to ours; begins to have isolated developments but not with these dimensions.

Our offer is also of high quality craft, but we've added more services; life in South America is very different and you are obliged to offer more services. For example, not everyone there has car, so it is usual that those sites further away from areas where people live to offer additional services.

At the present juncture, and so has publicly stated it on several occasions our President, this is the year of consolidation. We have been a few years, especially the last three, very fast-growing: the purchase of the land of Portugal, of the land of Chile has been implemented, we have incorporated the assets of Colonial and we have expanded the Zal de Sevilla in almost 20 hectares; all this must be digest it. This year, as they mark the guidelines of the group, it is the year of the digestion of all such assets.

Currently we are developing a network of logistics parks and our goal and our vocation is to be recognized in the Iberian Peninsula as the operator or, at least, as one of the benchmark of infrastructures at the service of the logistics operators.

Abertis Logispark Lisbon.

We always try our parks have capacity or potential intermodal development and in our projects is also scheduled rail intermodality. The problem is that it does lack the infrastructure is there and is underway. An infrastructure of that caliber costs lots of money, it is not acceptable for a private investor, so we need a strong support of the public administration for the arranque… theme

In the future, probably the railway acquire greater weight in the transport of goods, among other things for an environmental issue. This matter requires many actors working in the same direction, a business model, invest lots of money and time in the creation of the infraestructura… It is very complex and expensive for countries.

I am going to give a fact: in Spain the airport that more freight transports is Barajas and moves close to 400 thousand tons a year. The port of Barcelona is around 50 million toneladas… The cost of air travel is very high. We are at a moment in which companies are optimizing their costs and look for the economically most efficient transport chain. Only air transport justifies a product that has great value, so that what you cost that transportation almost not have impact on the final amount, or certain perishable products.

Let me give you one last fact: Frankfurt, the airport more cargo moving in Europe, is between one and two million tons/year...

"We are fortunate to be a solidly financed, so we aguantaremos this temporary and will be here next year, day after tomorrow and company in five years"

It is certainly a hard time, but we are in a privileged position; We are lucky to be a solidly financed, so we aguantaremos this temporary and will be here next year, day after tomorrow and company in five years. In this business many would like to be able to give this message. There is clearly a recession very strong and disconcerting. Our clients, that move goods, are suffering as a result of the contraction in demand, so they program are massaged their costs. We have in hand a complicated management: on the one hand, you must be flexible and be next to your clients in difficult times and, on the other hand, you can not fail him shareholder.

I think that when everything has passed we will be in a better position today. Those who based their business on a speculative model will disappear. We will be fewer, but stronger.

On many occasions, the crisis lead to processes of clustering and consolidation of sectors and I believe that from the point of view of the customer this crisis will lead to the consolidation of the companies involved in logistics and to a more professionalbecome more in a sector traditionally little professional.

And with regard to which we are dedicated to infrastructure, I think that non-speculative business models are those who will survive. The business model of Abertis survive these economic cycles because it is a model in the long term and based on generating and creating value for society, investing in infrastructure.

There are voices that proclaim a paradigm shift; without going any further, Aldo Olcese, President of the section of business and Finance of the Royal Academy of economic sciences, in the last match of the Club logistics logic predicted the advent of what he calls the humanistic capitalism, in line with the approach proposed in your question. Personally I like to believe in human beings and their ability to improve and overcome. I also think that we are quite comfortable. A change of modelo…? Not the veo… I believe that globalization is part of our DNA. I can't imagine that the Chinese will cease to produce and sell around the world, simply what I think. I think that the human being has this trend and is hardly going to say "I'm going to consume a product here," If the of the side is better...

We are in a situation of uncertainty; It is clear. I am going to respond with the message that conveys the Chairman of the group, Salvador Alemany. He says that this crisis is asymmetric and each sector, each company, each individual has to analyze and manage its own crisis and forget that lower someone some day announcing that the crisis is over; and with the outcome of this analysis to draw conclusions and to try to overcome the crisis. Our findings to the present picture is that our offer is solid and in line with what they require these new times. We believe that our model, in the long term, not speculative and of commitment to the territory, is a model that will like in the future, which is credible, because we live a few times where people need references and credibility, because they have wavered scale the fundamentals of the economy. In this situation we need to be flexible, understand our customers and adapt to your needs, but without neglecting the shareholder, because we are in this business to make it a good business.